Oil-well closure.



W. L. BLISS.

OIL WELL CLOSURE.

APPLICATION HLED MAYIG. I912.

Patented 001;. 19, 1915.

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WILLIAM L. BLISS, 01E NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGN- llIENTS, TO THE U. S. LIGHT AND HEAT CORPORATION, YORK, ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW

OIL-WELL CLOSURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 119, 1915.

Application filed May 16, 1912. Serial No. 697,700.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. Buss, acitizen of the United States, residing at N'agara Falls, in the countyof Niagara and State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Oil-W'ell Closures, of which the following is a full,clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to oil well closures.

It. has among its objectsto provide improved means for closing the oilinletof an oil well which are normally held in position therein andwhich when released by the operator, as, for instance, after filling orinspecting the well, will automatically return to closing position.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will. hereinafter appear.

In order that my invention may be fully and clearly disclosed, I haveillustrated one embodiment of the same in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an oil well with the plugin the oil inlet thereof. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the oil wellwith a portion of the casing broken away. Figs. 3 and 4 show modifiedforms of the retaining weight.

A plug or cover 1 adapted to fit snugly in the oil inlet 2 of the oilwell 3 is attached to a weight 4- within the well by means of a chain 5and normally held in position, closing said inlet by means of saidweight. The plug or cover 1 is conical in shape and the oil inlet 2 iscorrespondingly shaped so that the plug may fit snugly therein. In orderto facilitate the removal of the plug, the outer end of the same ismilled and made in the form of a knob 6. In order that the plug may slipinto the inlet readily from any desired angle, the inner end of the sameis rounded as shown at 7.

One end of the chain 5 is attached to the plug 1 by means of a cotterpin 8 which extends through an axial bore 9 in the plug and has its endsbent over in a countersink 10 in the milled end of the same. The otherend of the chain is attached to the weight 4 by means of a cotter pin 11cast into the body of the weight.

The oil well 3 may be of any desired shape wherein the outlet is locatedsufliciently above the bottom of the well to permit the weight to exerta pull upon the plug. In this construction the well is provided with aninwardly extending shoulder 12 over which the weight rides. In order tofacilitate the movement of the weight, the latter is made in the form ofa ball.

Figs. 3 and 1 show modified forms of attaching the weight to the chain.In the former the cotter pin 13 extends through a bore 14 in the weight,its outer ends bent over at 15, while in the latter the eye pin 16 isscrewed into a threaded opening in the weight.

It is noted that in my improved construction the oil inlet is normallyclosed so that the dust and dirt may not enter the well. The plug may bereadily withdrawn when it'is desired to fill or inspect the well.Further, the possibility of the loss of the plug or of the operatorforgetting to replace the same is avoided. My improved construction atthe same time is exceedingly simple and provides an efficient means forsealing the inlet which may be manufac tured at small expense.

While in disclosing my invention I have illustrated and specificallydescribed one form of the same, this form may be modified 'withoutdeparting from the spirit of the same.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

In combination, an oil well having an oil inlet provided with taperedwalls, a conical plug arranged to fit therein provided with means topermit the same to be grasped by hand, a weight carried within saidwell, and a flexible connection between said plug and said weight, saidwell being formed with an inwardly extending shoulder adapted tocooperate with said weight to secure said plug in position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto sub scribed my name i in thepresence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. BLISS. Witnesses:

C. E. MEAD,

E. P. HANNIG.

topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G."

